1 Blessed is the man that has not slipped with his mouth,
And is not pricked with sorrow for sins.
2 Blessed is he whose soul does not condemn him,
And who is not fallen from his hope.
3 Riches are not comely for a niggard;
And what should an envious man do with money?
4 He that gathers
by taking
from his own soul gathers for others;
And others shall revel in his goods.
5 He that is evil to himself, to whom will he be good?
And he shall not rejoice in his possessions.
6 There is none more evil than he that envieth himself;
And this is a recompense of his wickedness.
7 Even if he does good, he does it in forgetfulness;
And at the last he shows forth his wickedness.
8 Evil is he that envieth with his eye,
Turning away the face, and despising the souls
of men.
9 A covetous man's eye is not satisfied with his portion;
And wicked injustice drieth up his soul.
10 An evil eye is grudging of bread,
And he is miserly at his table
11 My son, according as you have, do well to thyself,
And bring offerings to the Lord worthily.
12 Remember that death will not wait,
And that the covenant of
*
Gr.
Hades.
the grave is not showed to you.
13 Do well to your friend before you die;
And according to your ability stretch out
your hand
and give to him.
14 Defraud not
thyself
of a good day;
And let not the portion of a good desire pass you by.
15 Shalt you not leave your labours to another?
And your toils to be divided by lot?
16 Give, and take, and decieve your soul;
For there is no seeking of luxury in
†
Gr.
Hades.
the grave.
17 All flesh waxeth old as a garment;
For the covenant from the beginning is, You shall die the death.
18 As of the leaves flourishing on a thick tree,
Some it sheddeth, and some it makes to grow;
So also of the generations of flesh and blood,
One comes to an end, and another is born.
19 Every work rotteth and falls away,
And the worker thereof shall depart with it.
20 Blessed is the man that shall
‡
Most authorities read
come to an end.
meditate in wisdom,
And that shall discourse by his understanding.
21 He That considereth her ways in his heart
Shall also have knowledge in her secrets.
22 Go forth after her as one that tracketh,
And lie in wait in her ways.
23 He that prieth in at her windows
Shall also hearken at her doors.
24 He that lodgeth close to her house
Shall also fasten a nail in her walls.
25 He shall pitch his tent near at hand to her,
And shall lodge in a lodging where good things are.
26 He shall set his children under her shelter,
And shall rest under her branches.
27 By her he shall be covered from heat,
And shall lodge in her glory.